Distant Familiarity
by Ivysumi Nagao
Summary: My little attempt at a ghost story. Mamimi dies & Naota is feeling out of place. (Naota & Mamimi)
1. Default Chapter

I do not own FLCL or its characters, no matter how much I want to. -  
I can, however, borrow the characters! I promise to give them back… eventually.  
Sorry if it seems confusing in the beginning, the story will explain itself. (At least it should)

Distant Familiarity

Ivysumi Nagao

The streetlights were starting to come on although the sun had only begun to set.  
Naota tossed off his shoes, and left his bag by the door. He stalked up the stairs to his room, and carelessly shoved his door open, thoughts of Haruko running through his head. Wistfully, he flopped down onto his bed. He gazed upward, not at the ceiling, but lost contemplation. After all those years, why did she even come back? And why did she still treat him like a kid? Feeling like a hypocrite, he wished she hadn't- that she would leave.

Downstairs a door nosily swung shut, but Naota barely heard it. A light from outside his room blinked on. His unfocused eyes ignored it as they unconsciously slid closed. Naota could feel a warmth- a heavy warmth, and a glorious light that enveloped his whole body in blissful ecstasy.

He saw Mamimi sitting by the river's edge, arms folded around her knees, which had been drawn up to meet her body. She turned her head slightly to the side to look at him from the corner of her eye and gave to Naota what seemed to be a bittersweet smile. "Takkun" was all she said before closing her eyes and burying her face in her knees. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words would come to him. Reaching out to her, he found that she had disappeared.

Suddenly, as if jolted by some supernatural force, he sat upright in bed. Beyond the streetlights it was much darker now. He stood up, but the floor felt as though it was shifting beneath him. A dizziness rose to his head forcing him to sit back down.

Although he'd slept, Naota still felt tired. Lately his life had seemed like a strange dream. His brother's sudden homecoming along with the news of Mamimi's death, Kanchi's disappearance and now Haruko's unexpected return all left him wrapped up in a feeling of uncertainty and discomfort.

There was no noise downstairs. No one was in the bedroom Naota shared with his brother either. Shaking off his dizziness, Naota crossed the room and stepped into an empty, silent hallway. The only sound that could be heard were his footsteps making their way down the stairs. After finding all the rooms empty, he made the assumption that they'd all gone out. So, he decided to do the same.

He slid his shoes on without untying the laces, and slipped out the door. It was unusually humid outside for that time of year, and a damp stickiness clung to his clothes. Naota made his way down to the river where he used to go to see Mamimi so many years ago. 

He sat down by the river's edge. Enveloped by a thick fog, he closed his eyes. He could feel her arms around him. He could even feel her warm body against his back. "You smell like cigarettes," he mumbled. "I haven't been smoking," she replied, placing her head on his shoulder.

Oh that was short! (Compared to what I normally write)  
I don't know if I should write more to this. I guess that depends on if anyone wants me to. Anyways, please review!!!


	2. Chapter 2

FLCL doesn't belong to me- there I said it... again.

Distant Familiarity Chapter2

"Mamimi," he said opening his eyes. She was gone. She'd vanished again, but this time it wasn't a dream. Naota looked around, hoping she hadn't disappeared entirely, but she was nowhere to be found.

Naota returned home feeling as though he'd left his soul in the dark shadow of the bridge that night.

The next morning he met Eiri on the way to school, like he always did. "There's something different about you today," she said, keeping one step ahead of him, and tilting her head in an attempt to look into his downcast eyes. He refused to speak a word, even after they reached the school grounds. Eiri was obviously offended, and cowed to never walk home with him. Its not like he cared, but he knew she'd eventually give in.

After school Naota ran to the bridge. His heart raced as de stood on the large, steel skeleton stretched over the ricer. His eyes searched the area frantically, threatening to break all restraints, and come tumbling from his head. But, of course, he'd gotten his hopes up over the false assumption that she'd come back- that maybe she'd only faked her death and would be waiting there by the river like she used to.

Taking a deep breath, he allowed it to pass back through his lips. Naota turned his gaze toward the sky, watching the barely visible sun between the oppressive grey clouds of Medical Mechanica. Unaware of the time that had passed, he stood watching the great expanse above him, tracing the paths of planes as they left behind white streaks in the sky.

"Yo, Takkun," Haruko said driving up behind him on her bright yellow vespa.

"What do you want," he asked nonchalantly.

" What makes you think I'd want something?" she asked, but without waiting for a response added, "I think there's something you'd be interested in."


End file.
